The Caffeinated Rocket Tour – Coffee Bean Circus
- Brainz Magazine
- Feb 29, 2024
- 5 min read
Written by: Jack Rasmussen, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Where do the beans stock? Contrary to popular belief, I do not have a different kind of coffee every morning. Not only is that nearly impossible, but the best coffee for my morning routine is Peet’s Coffee French Roast, made conveniently with my Keurig coffee maker at home. According to Fathom Coffee X Roastery, the leading coffee bean-producing countries are in the “bean belt.” The “bean belt” straddles the equator between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.
The countries that produce the most coffee beans have ideal tropical climates and the correct altitude to curate healthy soil for growing coffee beans. These countries are Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Arabica beans (originally from Ethiopia) make up about 60% of the world’s coffee today, while Robusta beans (also from Africa) make up about 30%. Arabica grows in higher elevations and is sweet and tangy, while Robusta grows in lower elevations and is usually bitter and higher in caffeine (Fathom Coffee X Roastery). I prefer Robusta beans as I usually choose dark roasts.
Africa
West Africa features the mighty Robusta beans, while East Africa features voluminous Arabica beans. Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania are the top-performing African countries. The West and Central African countries producing Robusta include Angola, Liberia, and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. The East African countries producing Arabica include Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Rwanda (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
The oldest guest should always be served first during a coffee ceremony in Ethiopia. Respect your elders and grant them the beautiful gift of the OG African coffee beans brewed to delight. In Senegal, they serve Café Touba, a healing drink infused with black pepper and cloves. The first ever iced coffee, Mazagran, was created in Algeria in 1840. It is sweetened coffee poured over ice. French soldiers brought it to French cafés (Cultural Mixology).
Antarctica
Antarctica may not be the place to grow a coffee bean, but they do have a café called The Coffee Shop. It is now open to the public, according to Tiffany Boutwell (Foodal).
Asia
Believe it or not, Southeast Asia produces most of the world’s Robusta beans in Indonesia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Indonesia creates a very influential subset of coffees: Flores, Bali, Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
Yemen in the Middle East is known as one of the world's top coffee creators. The high altitude facilitates fruity and floral Arabica. Due to the mountainous region, India also produces both Robusta and Arabica beans with low acidity and sweet and spicy flavorings (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
They serve cà phê trúng or egg coffee in Vietnam, developed by mixing egg yolks and condensed milk. One of my favorite drinks is YuenYeung, first developed in Hong Kong and combining coffee with milk tea (Cultural Mixology).
Australia
Fortunately, Australia has excellent weather, contributing to its quiet success in coffee. Today, there are about fifty coffee plantations located in Far North Queensland and north-east New South Wales. Some are in south-east Queensland. Although home-grown coffee makes up less than one percent of the coffee consumed in Australia, Mark Ryan (owner of Growers Espresso and Eureka Coffee) and Albanian migrant Hymet "Jack" Murat (owner of Jack Murat) are confident about their beans and the future of Australian coffee, according to Peter Barrett (SMH).
Europe
According to Brodie Vissers, despite its climate and location way outside of the “bean belt,” coffee is being grown in Europe. The location of the coffee plantation is just off the coast of Morocco, called The Canary Islands. Part of Spain, this archipelago features Europe's most significant coffee-growing destination, located on the Island of Gran Canaria. Finca Los Castaños is run by farmer Antonio Márquez Beotegui. Antonio’s drying process has variations, including honey, natural, washed, and carbonic maceration. Other than Spain, some coffee has been attempted to be grown on Portugal’s land (The Nomad Barista).
In Spain, they drink “Café Bombón,” which means “candy coffee.” This drink includes espresso with sweet, condensed milk. The frappé is popular in Greece and is made with instant coffee, milk, and sugar. In Scandinavia, they serve “kaffeost,” or “coffee cheese.” This is coffee and cheese cubes meant to absorb the coffee. Also, as opposed to a typical American tradition, cappuccinos are only consumed in the morning and never after meals in Italy. In Turkey, coffee drinkers are never supposed to stir their coffee because it comes unfiltered and raw (Cultural Mixology).
North America
The North American hotbeds for coffee include Mexico, Hawaii (United States), and the Caribbean (Jamaica). California, Puerto Rico, Antigua, and the Dominican Republic also produce coffee. Kona, the hotshot location in Hawaii, is known for its smoothness (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
Central America, part of North America and sandwiched between Mexico and South America, produces beautiful coffee beans due to the weather. The top performers in this region are Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and El Salvador. Because they are mild-bodied beans, they have a light and well-balanced taste (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
Mexico has a sweet companion to churros and horchata called Café de Olla, which is coffee brewed in clay pots with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and sugar cane (Cultural Mixology).
South America
No one can forget about the exotic wonderland of South America, home to some of the most significant and brightest coffee producers: Brazil and Colombia. Peru and Ecuador also produce some beans as well. Like Central American beans, South American beans are light but offer a creaminess and chocolate-like undertone (Fathom Coffee X Roastery).
Argentina, the Tango country, serves lagrima or the inverse of cortado. Lagrima is just milk with a drop of espresso (Cultural Mixology).
Space
Seven continents of quality Java. Now, what about aliens in space? Does Saturn have coffee bean particles floating in one of its majestic rings, or does Mars have soft bean belt-like soil? I’ll save that for another distant discussion.
Jack Rasmussen, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jack Rasmussen is a leader in the worlds of performance science, the food industry, religion, and entertainment. Growing up in Silicon Valley and studying Business, Cinema, and Journalism at the University of Southern California has allowed him to explore pathways forward to use art to raise the vibration and meta-awareness of people within their respective fields. He is the author of Fine Dining: The Secrets Behind the Restaurant Industry and Yin Yang: The Elusive Symbol That Explains the World. He wants to continue telling stories that inspire global citizens to explore the unexplored and become more cognizant of presence. His aim artistically: spread thought-provoking peanut butter and connective jelly.
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